advert
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
adverts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
adverted,
past participle, past
-
adverting
present participle
-
to remark or comment; refer (usually followed byto ).
He adverted briefly to the news of the day.
- Synonyms:
- allude
-
to turn the attention (usually followed byto ).
The committee adverted to the business at hand.
noun
-
adverts
plural
noun
verb
Usage
What does advert mean? Advert is short for advertisement. It is primarily used in the U. K. in the same way that American speakers use the word ad. Advert is also a verb that means to call attention to or reference something. This is easy to remember since the purpose of advertisements is to get your attention. Example: There are way too many adverts on this page.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
advertsimple
-
advertssimple
-
have advertedperfect
-
has advertedperfect
-
am advertingprogressive
-
are advertingprogressive
-
is advertingprogressive
-
have been advertingperfect progressive
-
has been advertingperfect progressive
Past
-
advertedsimple
-
had advertedperfect
-
was advertingprogressive
-
were advertingprogressive
-
had been advertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of advert1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English a(d)verten, from Old French a(d)vertir (with ad- replacing a- a- 5 ), from Latin advertere “to pay attention,” literally, “to turn toward,” from ad- ad- + vertere “to turn”
Origin of advert2
By shortening
Explanation
This one's easy. An advert is an advertisement: just shorten advertisement, and you get advert. As a verb, to advert to something means to refer to it. The noun advert (AD-vert) shows up mostly in England, where people use it interchangeably with advertisement, as in "Did you see that advert in the paper? If you buy two pairs of socks, you get a third pair free!" The verb advert (ad-VERT), on the other hand, means to "make reference to," like the way your mom might advert to your messy room and unfinished chores when you complain that you're bored.
Vocabulary lists containing advert
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"All we can control is that we put on a good advert for women's football."
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
In its response to the complaints, Huel said the advert "unambiguously positioned Huel as part of a balanced diet for occasions when preparing whole food was not practicable".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Speaking to BBC News, Mullen confessed the infamous wanted advert had been his father's idea all along.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
He answered an advert on a college noticeboard for a drummer to join a band called Smile that included Brian May.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
It had fallen open at this glossy double page advert, and though the paper had gone soggy and there was mud at one corner, you could see it well enough.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
It's not just businesses taking out paid adverts who claim their content has been unfairly restricted.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Premature is the first feature film Kevin has directed, having worked on short films and adverts in the past.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Good Good also creates made-for-TV shows as well as adverts for golf clothing and other merchandise.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The agency advertised the events as taking place in Saint Petersburg's Gazprom Arena, with the stadium itself sharing adverts for the upcoming concert on its Telegram account.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
We'd miss the adverts and Coming Soons, but a lady with a torch'd show us our seats for the film.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
On his person he bore the marks of these perils of the laboratory; but they were little heeded by him, and, when adverted to, always afforded him the occasion of some good-humoured pleasantry.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 17, 2015
I'm not certain how disaster can be adverted when an inferior service will cost more money.
From Economist ● Dec. 14, 2013
It was strange she never once adverted either to her mother’s illness, or her brother’s death, or the present gloomy state of the family prospects.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Taxes paid in the price of a commodity little adverted to, 379, 380.
From An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Germain Garnier
The salutary acts of restoration and prevention just adverted to, are such as nature conducts and originates.
From The American Reformed Cattle Doctor by George Dadd
The decline in ratings has put pressure on adverting dollars as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the consortium, welcomed the delay on adverting rules as "one less distraction" for companies looking to focus on keeping prices down.
From BBC ● May 14, 2022
The human element in this example could have played multiple factors in adverting the breach or at the very least discovered it a lot sooner.
From Forbes ● Jan. 5, 2015
Much of this tracking is for adverting purposes: to collect data on you to show you more relevant ads.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2013
The Reporter of characters takes a full share of gratification in adverting to these, when a certificate of the conduct is given.
From Recollections of Windsor Prison; Containing Sketches of its History and Discipline with Appropriate Strictures and Moral and Religious Reflection by John N. Reynolds
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